AI, Learn To See, Make Good Art, Photography, Post Processing, REVIEW, SCIENCE, technique, Technology, Video
The Artist nerd & the Machine
June 16, 2026
Visions and Images: Elliott Erwitt, 1981
“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” Elliott Erwitt Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/e/elliotterw141210.html#YaV7zlv86uYAGFAJ.99 Another in my series of mining the video vaults of history, curating for interviews and sage advice from contemporary and near contemporary historical photographers of significance. Interviewer: Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel Part of the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Video Archive in the Duke University Libraries: http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollec…
Read moreSCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH PRESENTS FULL-FRAME-PRIMES AT IBC
From the deepest depths of “In My Fondest Dreams” and from a Bad Kreuznach Division IBC Press Release, 13.09.2013, I bring you the current #1 pick for my “Christmas Video, 2013 Most Wanted Stocking Stuffers.” (Saint Nicholas should be this good to all of us .) Schneider-Kreuznach presents its new range of Xenon full-frame primes at the International Broadcast Conference (IBC). The lenses have been developed especially for DSLR cameras with full-frame sensors for video shooting and can also be used with professional cine cameras. Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon 75mm FF Prime The full-frame lens series comprises five fixed focal lengths:
Read moreMy Keynote Address
My Keynote Address from Mike Brookes on Vimeo. Last month, Apple opened its Worldwide Developers Conference with an inspiring video outlining its core brand values. Here are Mike Brookes core values. I think Mike speaks for all of us in the creative industry. His name is Mike Brookes; He is senior designer for Across the Pond Productions in London, UK (atp.tv) ATP is a creative partner of the Google Creative Lab. Mike works as an in-house designer on projects for Google and YouTube as well as a variety of other clients. Like many of us, Mike sometimes dreams
Read moreThe SassBirrElla Disaster
SassBirrElla from TheCameraForum on Vimeo. Not every client job goes according to plan. Take just this past week, for example. I had a shoot for “SassBirrElla” a new up and coming Los Angeles area swing band. We had planned to do a series of stills, and some video at their live gig to put together a series of web teasers for their still under construction website. Everything was just fine until the bartender turned on the house stage lighting right before the show. Disaster! Call it a photographer’s worst nightmare, high powered colored LED’s projecting through lenses into piercing
Read moreVisions and Images: Garry Winogrand, 1981
Interviewer: Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel Part of the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Video Archive in the Duke University Libraries: http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollec… PLEASE RATE THIS STORY! [ratings]
Read moreSamsung Galaxy NX – DSLR or Android?
Video Curtesy of Endgadget. Whoa, hang on here camera fans! Something new is coming from Samsung; the long anticipated Samsung Galaxy NX camera with an operating system based entirely upon Android OS. A camera powered by an Android operating system? Another Samsung product likely conceived and cleverly priced by brand managers over in Asia, and anticipating an American market similar to the one they experience at home. Sorry guys, I’m afraid this product is a little too out there for even the extreme fringe of the US camera market who will buy almost anything different. Now, if you had
Read moreGrading Using Texture Blending
Sometimes we like to create more muted colors and softer look in our images. Here is an example: We like the scene with some nice elements: Hay wheels Three trees Tractor with dust Forest as a backdrop We still like to improve the mood of that late summer day in Germany. Here we use our Texture Blending to grade the image: The texture used is here: While the first version is more realistic we find the graded version to reflect better the feeling of the scene. One more Sample (same process): Let us know what you think. Our Texture Blending
Read moreOneness New Zealand
Oneness New Zealand is the first art offering from Shawn Reeder and Kirsi Ranto in their Oneness Mission Project. Oneness Mission is a global movement sharing beauty, love, and light through visuals, music, and writings. Oneness New Zealand is comprised of 8640 individual images from over 100,000 that were taken as Shawn traveled around New Zealand for 3 months this past spring while living out of a rented RV. The inspirational music of Shaun Paul, accompanied by the compelling poetry of Kirsi Ranto, uplifts you with its message of love, and is the perfect complement to this magical landscape. This
Read moreLeica M Monochrome – My First Look
Leica M Monochrome It’s been a long time since I shot in Black and White. In my earlier years, I started with Pan-X, Plus-X, and Tri-X. Tri-X being the least expensive predominated my earliest work. I guess it was sometime in the mid to late 1980’s I exposed my last roll, save for the odd client request. The Leica M Monochrome could soon change all that. The ability to digitally scan my film made possible color to B&W digital conversion. The application of digital “color filters” after the fact meant I no longer had to use physical ones to adjust
Read moreCreating Fake Hipstamatic Photos
Outback Photo Handbook: Workflow Basics Fake Hipstamatic Photos Essay by Bettina + Uwe Steinmueller “You know, the last time a Photoshop tool made me do a double take and stare in amazement is when I first tried EasyS a few years back. I just tried out EasyDS and I was wowed yet again. Such a simple interface, yet the results are fantastic! I’m not talking about a subtle difference here, I did an A/B comparison and what I thought was sharp turned out to be pretty blurry 🙂 And EasyDS does this without the usual ugly artifacts. Great job! P.S.
Read moreThe Early Photographic Process
Presented in six short parts, each automatically starting after the last ends, I bring you the story of the early photographic process produced by the George Eastman House. The six processes covered are The Daguerreotype, The Collodion Process, The Albumen Print, The Woodburytype, The Platinum Print, and last but certainly not least, The Gelatin Silver Print. There are great examples show of each as the staff of the George Eastman House take the time to thoroughly describe how each process was performed as well as cite the historical and sociological impact from the photography based upon it. [ratings]
Read moreEnter The Dragon
RED EPIC DRAGON – IT’S THE REAL DEAL ! from Mark Toia on Vimeo. Mark Tola (the lucky dog ;=) won the lottery to be one of the first to get his hands on one of the new RED Dragon sensor equipped Epic bodies, and has taken it for a nice long test drive. His thoughts on it are below, but for those of you hungry to see the video let me summarize his findings for you. Watch the video. This incredible footage tells the whole story. Then come back here and read Mark’s details if you want more information.
Read moreGurus in the Ganges
Skateboarder Magazine – Gurus in the Ganges (Full Length) from Patrik Wallner on Vimeo. I’ve seen a lot of skateboarding footage. I’ve even shot a bit of it myself. Is there a more ideal locale for skateboarding than the teeming Kumbh Mela festival in North India which hosts what was estimated to be the world’s largest religious gathering ever recorded? What an experience this would be! The answer is yes, probably any back alley or random village street would be more productive and doable than this joyous, ancient gathering. At the Kumbh Mela, Gurus and millions of other assorted Hindu
Read moreThe Calotype Club
From the oldest photography club in existence. A stunning work, and clear example of “street photography” dating from well before Henri Cartier-Bresson. http://www.capitalcollections.org.uk The first in a series of films exploring Edinburgh Libraries’ collection of early photography. The film takes a look at a volume of work by the Edinburgh Calotype Club from 1842 before looking at the work of key photographic pioneers, David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson. Expore this subject further by visiting the exhibitions on our Capital Collections site. Partnership of genius: early photographs of D O Hill and R Adamson and their contemporaries: http://goo.gl/bG8Ne An Hundred Pictures
Read moreThe making of “Life At A Snail’s Pace”
Life In A Snail’s Space from TheCameraForum on Vimeo. Life In A Snail’s Space – The Making Of Life At A Snail’s Pace. A Chuck Jones Film. Deciding to submit my new short for film competition, I see that a lot of short films have a trailer or a “The Making Of” sequence (my favorite) that tells the story. Exciting! So with a few dollars of licensed animation, music selection & license, and several hours of intense creative time in After Effects I give you “Life In A Snail’s Space.”
Read moreLife At A Snail’s Pace
Life At A Snail’s Pace from TheCameraForum on Vimeo. In the modern fast pace world, Life At A Snail Pace could be right in your own back yard. In my case, that is exactly what happened! It is amazing what inspirational stories you can find to tell right from your own yard. This video short actually started life as a macro still lens test, not even a video. It was made with my Zeiss 100mm f4 Macro lens, on bellows, mounted up to my Canon 5D Mark III. Originally, this was intended to be a still of the bright red
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